Not Applicable
The present invention pertains to signs that are typically employed for the display of menu items and associated pricing information.
Signs are widely used within the food industry for the display of menu items and associated price information. Many types of signs have been constructed. The configuration of many signs available in the market place are not sufficiently flexible to accommodate the varied needs within the industry.
In particular, there is often a need to be able to add or delete items from a menu display sign and/or change the cost of items that are on the menu. Additionally, significant costs are incurred in designing and manufacturing custom display signs for the needs of particular customers.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a display sign that may be readily adapted to accomodate the needs or a large variety of customers without the need to produce custom housings. It would further be desirable for such a display sign to allow for the modification of the menu items displayed in the event of changes in the number of menu items, costs or the like.
In accordance with the present invention, a modular sign is disclosed. The sign includes a housing having a light fixture mounted therein. The housing has a top wall, left and right side walls and a lower wall and is open at the back and the front of the housing. A first upward extending lip is provided at the front edge of the top wall of the housing for use in mounting a signboard to the housing. A second lip extends upward from the lower wall of the housing and is also employed for positively mounting the signboard to the housing. Inward extending flanges are provided on the front edge of the left and right side walls to provide support for the signboard. The signboard comprises a laminated structure that includes a backing board, an intermediate spacing grid and a display grid.
The intermediate spacing grid includes a vertical member along one edge and a plurality of horizontal members extending therefrom. Pockets are formed between adjacent horizontal members of the spacing grid that are sized to receive removable signage strips that typically include alphanumeric menu information. The signage strips are formed of translucent material and have a semi-opaque coating on selected areas of the signage strips. No coating is typically applied over the signage strip in the areas comprising the menu letters and price. The lettering on the signage strips is visible through openings within the display grid when the signage strips are slidably disposed within the laminated signboard. Thus, when the signboard is mounted to the housing and the signboard is backlit via the lighting fixture, the menu items and pricing information are readily discernable.
A first hanger is mounted and extends horizontally along the back top side of the backing board and a second hanger is mounted and extends horizontally along the back bottom side of the backing board. The first hanger engages the first lip on the front of the top wall of the housing when the signboard is disposed in a mounting position with respect to the housing. Similarly the second hanger positively engages the second lip when the signboard is disposed in the mounting position. Mounting of the signboard to the housing in the disclosed manner provides for positive engagement of the signboard to the housing while allowing for easy removal of the signboard when changes to menu or display items are necessary.
When disposed in the mounting positing, the backing board rests against the flanges extending from the right and left side walls of the housing. Edge strips are mounted to the side walls of the housing to provide a finished appearance to the modular sign.
Additionally, a plurality of modular housings may be mounted side by side to accommodate the need for a greater number of menu items than may be displayed using a single housing. When a plurality of housings are mounted side-by-side, intermediate edge strips may be mounted to cover the joints at adjacent housings so as to provide a finished appearance for the assembled signboard
Other features, aspects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the Detailed Description of the Invention that follows.